Teen in court today for student killing, hijacking and rape

Police and emergency services decended on Brighton beach in Port Elizabeth yesterday after the body of a kidnapped and later murdered man was found there. The body was found after a suspected hijacking and a subsequent city-wide search late on Sunday nightPicture.EUGENE COETZEE

A teenager is due to appear in the Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s Court today for the hijacking and murder of a NMMU student and the rape of another.

The task team investigating the case has hailed the arrest of the 18-year-old as a breakthrough into the hijacking and murder of medic and student Thabani Ngwekazi, 28, on a Saturday night earlier this month.

It is alleged that during the ordeal, two of the men raped the woman, 21, who was abducted with Ngwekazi.

Yesterday, police spokeswoman Colonel Priscilla Naidu said the 18-year-old was arrested on Monday and would be formally charged in court today for rape as well as the murder and hijacking of Ngwekazi.

“The suspect was positively identified and was found in possession of the victim’s belongings. He was arrested by the task and tracking team set up to investigate the case,” she said.

Naidu said that four men were still at large but a team of seven detectives was on their heels.

“The police are satisfied with the progress made thus far in the investigation and recognise the dedication displayed by the two teams tracking the suspects.”

The arrest comes only days after provincial commander and veteran detective Brigadier Gary McLaren arrived in Port Elizabeth to advise and assist with the case.

Ngwekazi was shot in the back of the head after a group of about five men had drawn R200 from his bank account.

Ngwekazi, who was studying at NMMU on a bursary scheme, was a medic with the Department of Health in Mthatha.

Naidu said only after the remaining four men were arrested would detectives look at what other crimes the gang could be linked to.

Ngwekazi’s gold VW Polo was found abandoned near a park in Maguga Street, Kwazakhele, near the Wolfson Stadium, at about 10.30pm two days after the crime had been committed.

Maguga Street borders Stofile Street, where two police officers in a marked police van were hijacked and robbed about three weeks ago.